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Presentation comparison
EmergencyCovers eating disorders, ARFID, medical causes, psychosis, depression, catatonia, and swallowing difficulty.
4 of 8 diagnoses compared
| CriteriaComparison detail | Anorexia nervosaEmergency |
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Weight/shape psychopathology is the key psychological discriminator.
Clinical reference — not validated decision support. Review before use.
| Bulimia nervosaEmergency |
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| ARFIDEmergency |
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| MedicalEmergency |
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| Psychosis-related food refusalEmergencyNot selected |
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| Depression-related poor intakeEmergencyNot selected |
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| CatatoniaEmergencyNot selected |
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| FactitiousEmergencyNot selected |
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| Why it fits | Restriction with fear of weight gain, body image distortion, drive for thinness, low weight/rapid loss | Loss-of-control binges followed by vomiting, laxatives, fasting, overexercise | Restriction due to sensory aversion, fear of choking/vomiting, or low interest in food (no body image concern) | Dysphagia, odynophagia, nausea, constipation, abdominal pain, dental pain | Poisoning fears, contamination delusions, command hallucinations, religious prohibitions | Loss of appetite, low energy, undeservingness, psychomotor slowing | Mutism, negativism, forgetting, unsafe swallow, inability to use utensils | Inconsistent refusal linked to admission, observation, leave, or other gain. Diagnosis of exclusion. |
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| What argues against | Applies to the whole presentationReview locally. | |||||||
| Must-not-miss | Bradycardia, hypotension, syncope, electrolyte disturbance, refeeding risk, osteopenia, suicidality | Hypokalaemia, arrhythmia, oesophageal injury, dental erosion | Weight loss, nutritional deficiency, dependence on supplements/enteral feeding | |||||
| Bedside question | Applies to the whole presentationWeight/shape psychopathology is the key psychological discriminator. | |||||||
| Immediate action | Applies to the whole presentationStabilise and reassess. | |||||||
| Investigations | Applies to the whole presentationGuided by presentation. | |||||||
| Mimics / overlap | Applies to the whole presentationReview overlap locally. | |||||||
Scroll horizontally to review more candidate differentials. Clinical reference — not validated decision support. Review before use.
Review locally.
Weight/shape psychopathology is the key psychological discriminator.
Stabilise and reassess.
Guided by presentation.
Review overlap locally.
Restriction with fear of weight gain, body image distortion, drive for thinness, low weight/rapid loss
Bradycardia, hypotension, syncope, electrolyte disturbance, refeeding risk, osteopenia, suicidality
Loss-of-control binges followed by vomiting, laxatives, fasting, overexercise
Hypokalaemia, arrhythmia,
Restriction due to sensory aversion, fear of choking/vomiting, or low interest in food (no body image concern)
Weight loss, nutritional deficiency,
Dysphagia, odynophagia, nausea, constipation, abdominal pain, dental pain
Dehydration, aspiration,
Based on current selection
Create a concise comparison summary for documentation or handoff.
Source pending review
v10 | Local content only
Last updated: Pending review
Open a selected differential to review its clinical record.
Based on current selection
Create a concise comparison summary for documentation or handoff.
Source pending review
v10 | Local content only
Last updated: Pending review
| Dehydration, prolonged fasting, severe self-neglect |
| Severe weight loss, dehydration, psychotic depression, catatonia |
| Aspiration, dehydration, pressure injury, rapid medical deterioration |
| Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, binge-purge pattern, ARFID, CLINICAL HINGE: Weight/shape psychopathology is the key psychological discriminator. |